Bible Text: Mark 6:6b-13 | Preacher: Pastor Chris Marien | “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” It is an invitation offered by Jesus to his disciples. Imagine the invitation today – Jesus, we have all the deserted places we need. How about an invitation about coming together? We have rested enough. I find it amusing that for many of us, we are learning new routines – routines of rest, solitude, silence. Not exactly bad things – just a little more challenging when they are forced upon us instead of being offered to us. The early church desert fathers and mothers who left their communities to commune with God on a full-time basis would be proud.